Houston-based Northern Offshore has sold two jackup drilling rigs, which are to be turned into platform support units.
The Energy Endeavour, constructed in 1982, and the Energy Enhancer (1982), were sold to Dixstone Holdings, an affiliate of Perenco Group.
Both rigs had been cold stacked in Rotterdam following the completion of drilling contracts in the southern North Sea region.
Northern Offshore will provide crew and operational support to reactivate and convert both jackups into platform support units under management services agreements with the new owner.
This will take three months for the Energy Enhancer. For the Energy Endeavour, following reactivation and conversion, its three-year service contract also includes the subsequent operation of the newly converted platform support unit in the Southern North Sea.
When fully operational, it is expected that the unit's total manning will consist of up to 100 offshore and onshore personnel. Operational and technical management will be provided from Northern Offshore's office in Aberdeen.
Chairman and CEO (Interim) Yuanhui Sun said the move would help towards Northern Offshore's strategy to dispose of its older floating and jackup assets and focus on the construction and operation of its new fleet of high-specification jackups.